Georgian President in Estonia: 'We Try to Overcome Sad Reality' of Russian-Occupied Areas
Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili is in Estonia today for a two-day visit during which he will, between meetings with officials, be one of the most prominent guests at the Internet Freedom conference.
Margvelashvili, who became president late last year, was interviewed by ETV's evening news briefly last night. Asked how it was to be president of a country that, like Ukraine, had borne the brunt of Russian aggression, he said:
"Being a president of country that is occupied is a challenge not only for a president but for every citizen. Naturally we try to respond to this occupation and try to respond in a very specific way. We try to modernize our society, we try to integrate into Europe, and through this process, and constant engagement of our friends, we try to overcome the sad reality."
Margvelashvili will meet President Toomas Hendrik Ilves, Speaker of Parliament Eiki Nestor and Prime Minister Taavi Rõivas.
The Internet Freedom Conference, held today and tomorrow in Tallinn, is organized by the Freedom Online Coalition.